Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading MALTRAVERS found Alice as docile a pupil as any reasonable preceptor might have desired.
afford
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From this reading Perhaps he felt it so; for in a few days Alice was handed over to the very oldest and ugliest writing-master that the neighbouring town could afford.
Alice
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From this reading MALTRAVERS found Alice as docile a pupil as any reasonable preceptor might have desired.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading But still, reading and writing--they are very uninteresting elements!
any
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From this reading MALTRAVERS found Alice as docile a pupil as any reasonable preceptor might have desired.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading But still, reading and writing--they are very uninteresting elements!
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading MALTRAVERS found Alice as docile a pupil as any reasonable preceptor might have desired.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Had the groundwork been laid, it might have been delightful to raise the fairy palace of knowledge; but the digging the foundations and the constructing the cellars is weary labour.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But still, reading and writing--they are very uninteresting elements!
cellars
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had the groundwork been laid, it might have been delightful to raise the fairy palace of knowledge; but the digging the foundations and the constructing the cellars is weary labour.
constructing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had the groundwork been laid, it might have been delightful to raise the fairy palace of knowledge; but the digging the foundations and the constructing the cellars is weary labour.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Perhaps he felt it so; for in a few days Alice was handed over to the very oldest and ugliest writing-master that the neighbouring town could afford.
days
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Perhaps he felt it so; for in a few days Alice was handed over to the very oldest and ugliest writing-master that the neighbouring town could afford.
delightful
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From this reading Had the groundwork been laid, it might have been delightful to raise the fairy palace of knowledge; but the digging the foundations and the constructing the cellars is weary labour.
desired
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From this reading MALTRAVERS found Alice as docile a pupil as any reasonable preceptor might have desired.
destroy
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From this reading "Thought would destroy their Paradise."--GRAY.
digging
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From this reading Had the groundwork been laid, it might have been delightful to raise the fairy palace of knowledge; but the digging the foundations and the constructing the cellars is weary labour.
docile
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From this reading MALTRAVERS found Alice as docile a pupil as any reasonable preceptor might have desired.
elements
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From this reading But still, reading and writing--they are very uninteresting elements!
fairy
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From this reading Had the groundwork been laid, it might have been delightful to raise the fairy palace of knowledge; but the digging the foundations and the constructing the cellars is weary labour.
felt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Perhaps he felt it so; for in a few days Alice was handed over to the very oldest and ugliest writing-master that the neighbouring town could afford.
few
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From this reading Perhaps he felt it so; for in a few days Alice was handed over to the very oldest and ugliest writing-master that the neighbouring town could afford.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Perhaps he felt it so; for in a few days Alice was handed over to the very oldest and ugliest writing-master that the neighbouring town could afford.
foundnounUS /found/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading MALTRAVERS found Alice as docile a pupil as any reasonable preceptor might have desired.
foundations
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had the groundwork been laid, it might have been delightful to raise the fairy palace of knowledge; but the digging the foundations and the constructing the cellars is weary labour.
GRAY
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From this reading "Thought would destroy their Paradise."--GRAY.
groundwork
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From this reading Had the groundwork been laid, it might have been delightful to raise the fairy palace of knowledge; but the digging the foundations and the constructing the cellars is weary labour.
Hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Had the groundwork been laid, it might have been delightful to raise the fairy palace of knowledge; but the digging the foundations and the constructing the cellars is weary labour.
handed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Perhaps he felt it so; for in a few days Alice was handed over to the very oldest and ugliest writing-master that the neighbouring town could afford.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading MALTRAVERS found Alice as docile a pupil as any reasonable preceptor might have desired.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Perhaps he felt it so; for in a few days Alice was handed over to the very oldest and ugliest writing-master that the neighbouring town could afford.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Perhaps he felt it so; for in a few days Alice was handed over to the very oldest and ugliest writing-master that the neighbouring town could afford.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Had the groundwork been laid, it might have been delightful to raise the fairy palace of knowledge; but the digging the foundations and the constructing the cellars is weary labour.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Had the groundwork been laid, it might have been delightful to raise the fairy palace of knowledge; but the digging the foundations and the constructing the cellars is weary labour.
knowledge
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had the groundwork been laid, it might have been delightful to raise the fairy palace of knowledge; but the digging the foundations and the constructing the cellars is weary labour.
labour
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had the groundwork been laid, it might have been delightful to raise the fairy palace of knowledge; but the digging the foundations and the constructing the cellars is weary labour.
laid
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had the groundwork been laid, it might have been delightful to raise the fairy palace of knowledge; but the digging the foundations and the constructing the cellars is weary labour.
MALTRAVERS
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From this reading MALTRAVERS found Alice as docile a pupil as any reasonable preceptor might have desired.
mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading MALTRAVERS found Alice as docile a pupil as any reasonable preceptor might have desired.
neighbouring
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Perhaps he felt it so; for in a few days Alice was handed over to the very oldest and ugliest writing-master that the neighbouring town could afford.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Had the groundwork been laid, it might have been delightful to raise the fairy palace of knowledge; but the digging the foundations and the constructing the cellars is weary labour.
oldest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Perhaps he felt it so; for in a few days Alice was handed over to the very oldest and ugliest writing-master that the neighbouring town could afford.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Perhaps he felt it so; for in a few days Alice was handed over to the very oldest and ugliest writing-master that the neighbouring town could afford.
palace
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had the groundwork been laid, it might have been delightful to raise the fairy palace of knowledge; but the digging the foundations and the constructing the cellars is weary labour.
Paradise
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Thought would destroy their Paradise."--GRAY.
Perhaps
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Perhaps he felt it so; for in a few days Alice was handed over to the very oldest and ugliest writing-master that the neighbouring town could afford.
preceptor
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading MALTRAVERS found Alice as docile a pupil as any reasonable preceptor might have desired.
pupil
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading MALTRAVERS found Alice as docile a pupil as any reasonable preceptor might have desired.
raise
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had the groundwork been laid, it might have been delightful to raise the fairy palace of knowledge; but the digging the foundations and the constructing the cellars is weary labour.
reading
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But still, reading and writing--they are very uninteresting elements!
reasonable
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading MALTRAVERS found Alice as docile a pupil as any reasonable preceptor might have desired.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Perhaps he felt it so; for in a few days Alice was handed over to the very oldest and ugliest writing-master that the neighbouring town could afford.
stillnounUS /still/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading But still, reading and writing--they are very uninteresting elements!
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Perhaps he felt it so; for in a few days Alice was handed over to the very oldest and ugliest writing-master that the neighbouring town could afford.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Had the groundwork been laid, it might have been delightful to raise the fairy palace of knowledge; but the digging the foundations and the constructing the cellars is weary labour.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading "Thought would destroy their Paradise."--GRAY.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading But still, reading and writing--they are very uninteresting elements!
ThoughtnounUS /thought/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading "Thought would destroy their Paradise."--GRAY.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Had the groundwork been laid, it might have been delightful to raise the fairy palace of knowledge; but the digging the foundations and the constructing the cellars is weary labour.
town
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Perhaps he felt it so; for in a few days Alice was handed over to the very oldest and ugliest writing-master that the neighbouring town could afford.
ugliest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Perhaps he felt it so; for in a few days Alice was handed over to the very oldest and ugliest writing-master that the neighbouring town could afford.
uninteresting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But still, reading and writing--they are very uninteresting elements!
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But still, reading and writing--they are very uninteresting elements!
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Perhaps he felt it so; for in a few days Alice was handed over to the very oldest and ugliest writing-master that the neighbouring town could afford.
weary
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had the groundwork been laid, it might have been delightful to raise the fairy palace of knowledge; but the digging the foundations and the constructing the cellars is weary labour.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading "Thought would destroy their Paradise."--GRAY.
writing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But still, reading and writing--they are very uninteresting elements!
writing-master
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Perhaps he felt it so; for in a few days Alice was handed over to the very oldest and ugliest writing-master that the neighbouring town could afford.
